Smart Meetings

Alaska

Offer a once-in-a-lifetime meeting in Alaska and watch attendance soar

It’s not surprising that summer is Alaska’s peak season. After the snow melts, the days get longer...and longer...and longer, until they are literally endless in much of the state.

Alberta

The Pacific Rim's British Columbia and neighboring Alberta are close by, yet delightfully different.

Alberta is a vast province that has about 3 million people across an area larger than Idaho and Montana combined, mostly concentrated in a few large cities.

Amador County

Tap into the lingering spirit of risk and ambition that once ignited California's Gold Rush.

Just east of Sacramento County is picturesque Amador County, home to several group-friendly places. The comfortable, country-inspired Sutter Creek Days Inn has 7,000 square feet of event space in four rooms.

Banff

The Pacific Rim's British Columbia and neighboring Alberta are close by, yet delightfully different.

Situated about 80 miles west of Calgary, at an elevation of 4,380 feet, the town of Banff has a population of 7,500 people. The town is inside Canada’s oldest national park (also called Banff), which encompasses 2500+ square miles of magnificent mountain wilderness.

Bend

Like the name implies, Bend sits at one of the many bends of the winding Deschutes River that cuts across its city center. However, located in the heart of Oregon’s Cascade Mountain Range that divides the state’s east from west, Bend is most often associated with the surrounding rugged mountains and deep evergreen wildernesses.

Billings

A proud history, unrefined nature and first-rate facilities combine to make any meeting here an unforgettable adventure

Surrounded by sandstone Rimrocks in the Great Plains, Montana’s most populous city only claims about 128,000 residents. Here, the cattle still outnumber the people 12 to 1. Yet with an ever-increasing population, Billings offers some of the state’s largest conference facilities.

Bozeman

A proud history, unrefined nature and first-rate facilities combine to make any meeting here an unforgettable adventure

Located in the heart of the Rockies, Bozeman naturally supports abundant outdoor recreational opportunities—everything from skiing and snowmobiling in the winter, to fishing, hiking, kayaking and mountain biking in the spring and summer months.

Butte

A proud history, unrefined nature and first-rate facilities combine to make any meeting here an unforgettable adventure

Like many Montana communities, Butte came into existence because of the promise of easy gold. But by 1870, gold mining had all but died. Then, miners struck the richest deposit of copper ever found. The discovery instantly turned many of the town’s rough-and-tumble miners into wealthy copper barons, and put Butte permanently on the map.

Calgary

The Pacific Rim's British Columbia and neighboring Alberta are close by, yet delightfully different.

Calgary earned its stripes around the world when it hosted the 15th Winter Olympics, back in 1988. Today, as then, the city’s winter recreation facilities are second to none, and the city can still host events with the best of them.

Catalina Island

It's more than just a meeting in Southern California's South Bay.

Only about 85 percent of the island is inhabited, and the town of Avalon is only one square mile. The size fosters a very laid back atmosphere.

Dana Point

Discover Orange County's coastal communities to experience all of Southern California's fun-in-the-sun allure

Named for 19th-century runaway sailor and Harvard-educated author Richard Henry Dana—who wrote Two Years Before the Mast in 1840, chronicling his youthful adventures along the California coast—Dana Point has a long maritime tradition. Dana called it “the only romantic spot in California.”

Denver

Denver's new facilities, paired with its Old West flavor and natural Rocky Mountain splendor, make it a compelling destination package

At the divide between the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains, Denver’s geography sets it apart from most convention destinations. The snow-capped mountains paint a different backdrop for the city each season, but their towering majesty is humbling.

Edmonton

The Pacific Rim's British Columbia and neighboring Alberta are close by, yet delightfully different.

Near the center of Alberta, Edmonton is the provincial capital and, with nearly 1 million residents, the sixth largest city in Canada. Edmonton sits in a river valley on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River.

El Segundo

It's more than just a meeting in Southern California's South Bay.

El Segundo is often referred to as L.A.'s own "Mayberry" because it was able to preserve a small-town feel, even amid the great monster that is Los Angeles.

Flathead Valley

A proud history, unrefined nature and first-rate facilities combine to make any meeting here an unforgettable adventure.

Surrounded by pine forests and the jagged peaks of the northern Rockies, few areas can compare to the unparalleled beauty of Flathead Valley.

Great Falls

A proud history, unrefined nature and first-rate facilities combine to make any meeting here an unforgettable adventure

When most people think Great Falls, they think waterfalls, and there are plenty of them. With four visible sets of falls around the city—Black Eagle, Rainbow, Crooked and, of course, Great Falls—water is a constant presence. Also cutting through town is the nonmotorized, mixed-use River’s Edge Trail, stretching 13 miles along the Missouri River—on both sides in some parts.

Hawaii

Mix your business with pleasure on six islands in paradise.

Hawaii has long been celebrated as a dream leisure escape for its incomparable climate, warm hospitality, casual attitude and stunning scenery.

Helena

A proud history, unrefined nature and first-rate facilities combine to make any meeting here an unforgettable adventure

Surrounded by mountains, Montana’s state capital has myriad outdoor activities at its doorstep. But even the Northern Rockies that cradle Helena are dwarfed by the massive Mount Helena, rising 6,000 feet above the valley.

Hermosa Beach

It's more than just a meeting in Southern California's South Bay

The area was once a sweep of hills covered in barley fields, and though it became a tourist heaven-the city still holds an allure.

Inland Empire

Southern California's Inland Empire serves up plenty of meeting space and scenery

The Inland Empire spans an area that includes the City of Industry in the west, closest to L. A., across to Riverside in the east.

Jackson Hole

Experience a meeting with true Western spirit.

Wyoming’s most famous town is really a valley (thus the “Hole”), about 80 miles long and 15 miles wide, surrounded by Rocky Mountain peaks. The community was founded in the late 1800s, with its origins in ranching and fur trapping, due to the abundance of wildlife that inhabited the area.

Las Vegas

The fastest-growing city in America hosts more than 22,000 meetings each year.

With three of the largest convention centers in America within a few miles of each other, no city in the world is better suited to host the largest groups than Las Vegas.

Los Angeles

The luxury and convenience all in one...

LA is a well-rounded area saturated with high-end restaurants, hotels and night venues. It’s very close to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) (from most areas the drive is only 15 minutes). And the region is blessed with Southern California’s almost constant sunshine and warmth,and a beautiful white-sand and blue-water coastline that is home to several beach communities.

Los Cabos

Pacific Mexico's attractions are legendary, but with the nation's growing emphasis on the meetings industry, it's time to hold one now

Los Cabos, in the state of Baja Sur (south), is a quintessential desert-meets-the-sea landscape, defined by tall saguaro cactus, stark rock formations chiseled by wind and water, and the grand meeting of the chilly, choppy Pacific Ocean with the gentler Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez.

Los Gatos

Silicon Valley is a cradle of energy, inspiration and technology--you expected something less?

Only l5 minutes from downtown San Jose, Los Gatos is a pocket of affluence in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, with a casual, charming downtown made for strolling. Small groups seeking a non-urban setting will find the village an enjoyable respite.

Malibu

It's more than just a meeting in Southern California's South Bay

Significantly larger than the five square miles of Hermosa Beach, Malibu is a 27-mile strip of Pacific coastline running east and west (contrary to the popular misconception that the city runs north and south, as does most of the California coastline).

Manhattan Beach

It's more than just a meeting in Southern California's South Bay

This beach town earned its name with the flip of a coin. Stewart Merrill and George Peck, owners of the land on which the town was built, were unable to agree on a name. The coin was flipped, and Merrill won, dubbing the town Manhattan after his old home in New York.

Missoula

A proud history, unrefined nature and first-rate facilities combine to make any meeting here an unforgettable adventure.

Like much of Montana, the “Garden City” is known for its lush wooded landscape and abundant outdoor recreation. With three rivers running through the area—the Bitterroot, the Blackfoot and the Clark Fork of the Columbia River—the city is a base for fly-fishing, rafting, kayaking and canoeing.

Monterey

With great ranchos, vineyards, a castle, and Eden-like resorts, California's Central Coast carries the meeting experience off into another time and place.

A meetings staple, Monterey County encompasses the Pacific shoreline, world-renowned Pebble Beach and the vast, agriculturally rich Salinas valley.

Ojai

With great ranchos, vineyards, a castle, and Eden-like resorts, California's Central Coast carries the meeting experience off into another time and place. The natural setting of a lovely verdant valley surrounded by rugged peaks made Ojai the perfect location for the recreation of the idyllic "Shangri-La" in Frank Capra's 1939 version of The Lost Horizon.

Oxnard

With great ranchos, vineyards, a castle, and Eden-like resorts, California's Central Coast carries the meeting experience off into another time and place.

Oxnard is the southernmost of Central Coast cities, with more than seven miles of public beaches and water activities centered around Channel Islands Harbor, gateway to the five-island national park and marine sanctuary.

Palo Alto

Silicon Valley is a cradle of energy, inspiration and technology--you expected something less?

Two smaller cities in Santa Clara County make the cut when considering Silicon Valley as your next meeting site. Probably the best known is Palo Alto, a posh tree-lined community only 14 miles from San Jose that’s home to Stanford University (stanford.edu).

Phoenix

The ancient and the modern intertwine to make this familiar locale the Next Place to explore.

The Valley of the Sun sounds like the center of a lost empire. In many respects it was, but Phoenix was built right on top.

Redondo Beach

It’s more than just a meeting in Southern California’s South Bay.

Home of the first modern surfer, a credit often erroneously given to Hermosa Beach or Santa Cruz, Redondo Beach is a popular location for athletes. There are miles of biking and jogging paths and volleyball nets along the beach, and the city hosts a variety of sports competitions, including the Super Bowl 10-K Run.

San Jose

Silicon Valley is a cradle of energy, inspiration and technology—you expected something less?

San Jose may be the country’s 10th largest city, but its downtown is compact, offering different types of venues, all centrally located and within walking distance to 100-plus restaurants. It’s also a diverse, multicultural city, so there’s a year-round calendar of cultural-heritage events.

San Jose

Silicon Valley is a cradle of energy, inspiration and technology--you expected less?

Loosely defined, it stretches 30 miles south from the city of San Mateo to southern Santa Clara County, and 10 miles west to east from the Santa Cruz Mountains to San Francisco Bay. San Jose (population 945,000), the 10th largest city in the United States, is its hub, although other cities such as Santa Clara and Palo Alto lay claim to the Valley’s birthplace.

San Luis Obispo

With great ranchos, vineyards, a castle, and Eden-like resorts, California's Central Coast carries the meeting experience off into another time and place.

Nearly 80 miles of coastline fringes western San Luis Obispo County, located midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Santa Barbara

With great ranchos, vineyards, a castle, and Eden-like resorts, California's Central Coast carries the meeting experience off into another time and place.

Called "The American Riviera.", like the Côte d'Azur, in both climate and topography.  For the past century wealthy sun-seekers from other parts of the country have built palatial homes and cultivated extraordinary gardens, strongly recalling a South-of-France style.

Santa Barbara

With great ranchos, vineyards, a castle, and Eden-like resorts, California’s Central Coast carries the meeting experience off into another time and place.

Santa Barbara County sprawls 2,774 picturesque square miles, with the Santa Ynez Mountains, a boundary between North County, and South County, its resort-like area anchored by the city of Santa Barbara and its luxe neighbor, Montecito.

Nights are cool, especially at the higher elevations, and days are pleasantly mild (70 degrees), even in winter.

Santa Clara

Silicon Valley is a cradle of energy, inspiration and technology—you expected something less?

Santa Clara’s history reflects successive California eras, starting with the Franciscan missions and evolving from agriculture to viniculture and technology. Its restored mission, farmers’ markets, museums, theme parks and nearby wineries reflect them all.

Santa Maria

With great ranchos, vineyards, a castle, and Eden-like resorts, California's Central Coast carries the meeting experience off into another time and place.

Santa Maria is the self-styled "barbecue capital of the world." The town keeps alive an early 19th-century tradition of California's once-vast coastal cattle ranches.

Santa Ynez

With great ranchos, vineyards, a castle, and Eden-like resorts, California's Central Coast carries the meeting experience off into another time and place.

Santa Barbara's primary wine country supports over 70 wineries and has 24,000 acres of vineyards. But there is much more.

Tamarack

Idaho's jagged peaks, rapids-strewn rivers and broad, inviting lakes will compel your group to ramp up their activity level.

Part of the drive north on Hwy. 55 from Boise to Tamarack Resort on Lake Cascade follows the Payette River Scenic Byway.

Vancouver

The Pacific Rim's British Columbia and neighboring Alberta are close by, yet delightfully different.

Vancouver is similar in character to Seattle. Both of these Pacific Northwest cities are characterized by countless coffee bars, distinctive hotels and restaurants, several vibrant urban communities and an intellectual population.

Ventura City

With great ranchos, vineyards, a castle, and Eden-like resorts, California's Central Coast carries the meeting experience off into another time and place.

Founded in 1782 as San Buenaventura, the City of Good Fortune, Ventura is one of the oldest communities in California.

Ventura County

With great ranchos, vineyards, a castle, and Eden-like resorts, California's Central Coast carries the meeting experience off into another time and place.

Ventura County is a seaside region that also doubles as a major agricultural area, producing strawberries, citrus, cut flowers, vegetables and other crops. Mild temperatures year-round benefit both segments of the economy—plus meetings held there, especially in fall and spring.

Victoria

The Pacific Rim's British Columbia and neighboring Alberta are close by, yet delightfully different.

Flower-filled Victoria is a blend of British and Native American heritage and is known as Canada’s Garden City. Situated between Seattle and Vancouver on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, British Columbia’s capital is full of charm and available meeting space.

Western Canada

The Pacific Rim's British Columbia and neighboring Alberta are close by, yet delightfully different

The adjoining provinces of British Columbia and Alberta represent a richly diverse region that spreads across approximately 600 miles, from British Columbia’s Pacific Coast in the west to Alberta’s eastern border.

Whistler

The Pacific Rim's British Columbia and neighboring Alberta are close by, yet delightfully different.

Whistler is a true all-season mountain resort. In winter, skiers and snowboarders descend upon the village to take advantage of the more than 200 trails on 8,100 skiable acres, available to aficionados of all levels. In fact, Whistler Blackcomb will host the 2010 Winter Olympics’ downhill skiing events.